Telephone system



(No Model.) I 4-SheetsSheet 1.

J. W. MODONOUGH.

' TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

- I'M] jizyenry V as Maze-290" Patented May 7,1895.v

9m b e e h S w. e e h s 4 H Gm w w BM 0 MM 3 W E .T J

(No Model.)

No. 538,975. Patented May 7, 1895.

(Jan? z a I I I m4 M m IHIIIIIIII. m

I IIII To dll whom itfmay cortccrm;

1 UNITE {I sl nc lntcar'xoir refinin part otfLetters was; N6. seam-an... Ma a-1895; 1391. Serial nmseason iNhmodel.)

- V Applioatioh filed ma 21} .Be it known that I, JAMES W. MGDONOUGH,

aoitizen of the United States, residing at present inChicago, Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraphic 'orTelephonic. Switching and SignalingSy's' tems, offwhich the following is aspeciiication.

,. ,Theuobject offmy invention is to' provide a switching, and signaling system-applicable, to

telegraph and telephone service, in which any subscriber or operator may eifec'tconnection with anyot-hersubscrihe'r or operator withouttheintervention of any intermediate-operator.v or} attendant at the central vstation;

and theinvention consists in the featuresand detai 1S Qfi construct-ion and modes of-operation hereinafiter described and claimed.

through Fig-1. Fig. 3isa plan view of any In'the drawings, Figure l is a plain or diagrammatic-viewof the 'circuits employed in my systenn Fig. -2 is a vertical section-taken of theapparatus'shown, in Fig. 1, except, the

' centr'al one; Fig. 4 is a plan'view of the magnet and "associate parts shown inFig. 2-3, but

at a differenltgstage. in operation. Fig. 5 is a section of th'ejcircuit connecting and locking device, taken in line 5 of Fig. 3. Fig.6 is a side elevation ofa' portion of the rings shown in plan in Fi d 3. Fig. 7. is plan View of a portion ot'the upper; ring with insulating-sections in place. Rig. 8 'is avertical section taken -through 'any' one of. the apparatiis shown in Fig. 1; except the central one. Fig. is a plan view of-one .of .the'ringsprovided with an antomatic telephonic:signalingappw ratus. Fig. 10v isa plan. yiew of the central apparatus shown in Fig-1,provided with cir-' cuit connecting, locking, and signaling (1 e' vices. Fig-.11 is a plan or diagrammatic view,

of a portion ofithe apparatus shown in Fig.

'10, showing thecourse of the circuits'when we snllseribers are connected; and Fig.;12is a side-elevation'ofja portion of the rings shown-in Fig. 19, showing a section of insu-- material to prevent signaling at acer lating I im-H n I n applying-my improved telegrapln arrange a cent ral apparatus A, cgntaining a,

. ported preferably ina yertical' series,-.o ue

abovelthe" other, but each i yin g inia? horizontal for? e r' ic switc in an na nesw plane, 'with any desired distance between them. Any desired number of rings matytluls be arranged, so'as to"rneet the exigencies or require heuts of the particular system of which it is intended they shall form a. part.

In Fig. 2*I have shown ten of the ringsv in the apparatus A, although ahunrlred or'any otherdesired number maybe used. I j Around or in "proper proximityto Whatl have termed theceutral apparatus, Iiarrange a set of 'apparatu ses-B, containing rings .b, of which apparatuses I have shown ten, fandhaverep'resente l themin Fig. 1 as arranged in 'a circle around the central apparatus. f A'sl am'treating' the central apparatus as coutaining'one hundred rings, so I shall treat the surroundingapparatuses as eacncontain-C ing ten rings. 1 Y H "I shall hereafter in the specification and claims speak of the central apparatus andt'he surrounding apparatu'ses, but I'wish it to b'e understood that I use these terms merely as a conyenience'in description, and that itis immaterial whether the various apparatuses be actually arranged' ina circular posilion ,as1 show'n'in Fig. l,or not. i I: next arrange outer apparatuses C, 5991,80 preferably containing ten rings 0. I call these outer apparatuses because their operation still further removed from the'central ap ratus-than the surroundingapparatuses.5,1

that they are either the last that can be used. in the seri's;orthat they are located at an outside position. They may be located in any desired place, either together or separate.- 'When 'my system is applied to more than one thousand subscriber's, another series of a f ratnses will be employed,.to which the outer,- apparatuses C will occupy the same relation as the-surrounding apparatuses 13 now occupy. to the apparatuses 0. The entire-ramifica-J lions and possibilities of my system willth ere forebe'understoodwhen Idescriheiti neciion with one thousand subserihe'rs as .well as if -I- carry out'the description 1631' 1y to a systeminw'hich there werete'n than and 1 I'shall, therefore, for the-purposes of my sc-ri ption, confine myself to the: cent'ral,'-,- the surrounding. and the outerapparatuses-used in asystelltn accommodate one thousands scrihers. i s. r uh h acnmtnw i ifinng.

do not mean; however, liy-this designation surrounding apparatuses.

movable bars which extend from the bottom to'thetop of the apparatus, so as to pass each of the rings. For convenience I shall term this bare gate, as. it is hung or pivoted on a rod, shown in Fig. 8, so thatit may swing when struck. Each one of these gates forms the terminus of a wire, so that as: there are one hundred of them central'apparatus, one hundred circuit wires can be accommodated by the central apparatus. These aredivided into divisions-consistingof .ten wires each. Each division is carried toone of the su rrou nd in'g apparatuses, where each several wire is connected to one of the ten rings containedrespectively in the Around each of v the surrounding apparatuses B are arranged one hundred gates b, which are mounted and hungas 'are the Bates q'. Each of these gates bforms the terminus of a circuit wire, so that each of the surroundingapparatuses B accommodates one hundred wires, making one thousandin all. These 'wires are likewise divided into divisions of ten each, and each divisibncarriedto one cl. th outer apparatuses C, where each several ire is connected to one of the ten rings c contained in each 'of the-outer apparatuses. This e quires, as above said, one hundred of these outer apparatuses 0. If preferred, however, the ringsof the hundred apparatus may be arranged around a single central shaft, instead of .around one hundred-shafts, so long as the rings are maintained in onehundred divisions of ten each.- These outer rings are each surrounded or provide'dwith ten gates 0', making one thousand gates in all, which are mounted orhung like the gates a and 6' before described. I ay say here, however, that in describing e mounting or hanging of these gates, as own in the drawings, I do not. mean to litni yself to that way onlyof mounting them, as they may be otherwise hung or arranged if desired. Each of these gatesc' forms the terminus of.a circuit wire leading to the office of tt -flllbscllbel', so that with-the oneh'undred outer apparatuses one thousandsubscribers can beaccommodated.

The tendivisions of the wires leading from the one hundred gates around the ceutralap- .paratus are numbered respectively 0, 1, 2, 3,

4,5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, or by letters A, B', O, the.

Each oi the surroundingapparatuses will be thenumber ofthe di-.

known or recognized by vision leading from the central apparatus to it. Each of the ten divisions of wires leading from each of the surrounding apparatuses is likewise also numbered lrom 0 to 9 with the numberofft-heparticular division of wires leading from the central apparatus tosuch surrounding apparatus as a prefix. This nuinber'could also, if preferred, be used as airaflix, but for convenience and simplicity of description Ishall in the application and claimsspeak of it as a prefix, but in ueing this word I mean for it to comprehendand in-' clude the arrangement of the number as an arranged around the" the-left hand of wires leading from" thefz'surronnding appara' tuses willalso benunibered from 0 toil, but as only three of the divisions are represented in the drawings, they bear the numbers of. 4,

5 and 6. As division 5 oLthe wires from the central apparatus leads to this partich'lar surrounding apparatus, the sections o! wires, shown in the drawings, and numbered respectively 4, 5 and 6, would have the 5 designating the. division of wires from the central apparatus added'to them as a prefix, so they they would be 5-4, 5-5, 5--6.' If; to illustrate further, I took the surrounding apparatus to which the division of wires leading 'from the central apparatus nnmberedO were connected, I would have for. the three divisionsillustrated in the drawings in connection with this surrounding apparatus '00, 0-9 and 0-8. a The numbers of the divisions of wires leadingv from each one of the surronndinga'pparatuses would be numbered in like manner from Oto 9 with the'number of the division of wires leading from'th'e central apparatus to. it added as a prefix. This will be readily understood from the illustrations already given, and need not be further described or enlarged upon.

. The outer apparatus C, of which but two are shown in Fig. 1, would in like manner have the tenwires leading from each of them nowbered from 0 to 9, with. the numbers of the division of wires leading'from the surrounding apparatus to the outer apparatus used as a prefix. in connection with them. Thus in the two outer apparatuses shown in Fig. 1, I .would havethe ,n u mbers in the apparatus at thefigure numbered 0-0-1 to O-0--0, and in the apparatus represented at the tight-hand of the figure, .I would have the numbers running from 5- -0 to 5-.-49. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the system is repre sented as showing complete circuit wires for them: mbers 0-0-1 and 5-4-9. Fig. 1 also shows a diagram of the connection at the subscribers box, in which the knob D affords the means employed by the subscriber in eflecting connection with any of the other sul scribers desired. It operates as a push button and switch, by which a battery is thrown in and out of circuit. The other devices represented in connection with the push buttons are the ordinary telephone devices commonly used. In Fig. 2 is also represented the connection of each ring'with-an earth circuit. The outer apparatus 0 and the surrounding apparatuseali are provided with means for connecting the respective rings with the gates, as I will now explain. These means are particularly represented in Figs. 3 to 8, and I will specially refer to these figures in my description of them. I shall, how

ever, treat the parts described as being arranged in the outer apparatus C, the parts in an insulated surface on eachside, as shown, and a stud h. The arm or lover a. of the gate is provided with an extension aflthat passes up by the side of the. wheel, and which with it,fthe extension 0. is also pushed back until the end of the insulating material slips past the stud h", as shown in- Fig. 11. This permits the wheel H'to rotate until the tooth h has made almost a revolution, when it comes into contact with the lever F through means of a s'tudf projecting from it into the path of the tooth h. When the tooth comes into contact with this stud, it pushes the lever,iand with it the lock F, back until the end of the loclr has been moved past the end of the gate, when the spring a, bearing on the arm or lever a, moves the spring back into its normal position, and the extension a, falling into place,.engags the stud h ahd stops the rotation of=the wheel. I

As above explained, the circuitis completed when the spring e is held by the lock in contact with the gate a, andthe circuit is broken vas soon as the tooth It has moved the lover of the look back, so that the lock ceases to hold This completes a circuit through the wheel- H, through the spring h, and through the sig-' nal box h and on to the earth. his to be understood, of course, that in-operation the toothh comes into metallic. contact with the pin f before the lever. F has been moved back farenough to carry the'lock F away from the spring e, so as to release it and break the circuit. This causesasignaltobe given to the subscriber, so'that he can by pressing on the button prevent the gate from being unlocked and the circnitbroken. This signal box it may be made to convey anysignal desired, as a buzzing noise; or the words time up, or any other predetermined sig-' nal tonotify the subscriber. Where it is de: sired to give a signal in words, they-may be formed as hereinafter explained.

A look and signaling box h like that above described, may be attached to and-used in connection with each andevery-gate through the apparatus, if desired. v 1 g I will'now describe the course of the circuits in the outer apparatus 0. Shown in Figs. 3 to 8.

From some.s ubscrlbers ofice a line 0-0-1,

shown in Figs. land 3, runs to the gate c right hand coil of the magnet, and through thewire up to the spring e, whence it passes the arm c to the post 9', whence it passes ground. The other portion of the circuit, be.

ginningat the binding post e, pa'sscs through of the figures whence it passes to the mag the gate a, and through the wire j connecting with such lever aronhd to the spring switch of the rings of the apparatus, It will be understoed that each gate a is electrically connected with a separate ring of theapparatus througha separate circuit making and break ing device G and g. From this rlhg the circuit passesthrough the spring a into the mag: net-.E' which in thecentral apparatus is made of a single coil, andthrough the wire leading from such magnet to the springs c and e,- and from the spring c it passes to the upper portion of the ring andthrough the arm c to the post C',-whence it passes through the wire to the battery and on to the ground. It is preferred that the upper section of the ring shall end it is provided with sections or portions of insulating material, as shown in Fig.1 6, or forms a part of another signaling device shown in Fig. 9. When sections of insulating material are used, as shown in Fig. 6, the spring e alternately passes from a metallic to an inwith the metallic surface, a current passes through the oircnit,aud. the alternate making and breaking of the circuit, as the spring moves alternately over the one surface or the other, causes signals .to be transmitted to the subscriber. The battery that sends 'the'curenough to afiect or operate'the arm'atures of the magnets-as hereiubefore described. -The alternate making and breaking of the circuit,

nals; but in Fig.9 I have showna'nother way.

from the armature, I have a telephonicdevice. The surface oft-he ring, instead of 'beshown in detail in Fig. 3, and through: the: spring 2 down through thepiece e to t-he-- binding post e, where the circuit divides.- One part of the circuit passes through the .into the-upper portion of thelrin'g, and through through a wire to a battery and thence to the net Ehland through the lover or arm a of.

Gr and "g, and on to the-lower portion of one .be used for signaling purposes, and to thatsulated surface. Whenever it is in contactrent for such signaling purposes is intended to be strong enough for that, but not 'strong ;by whichI am enabled to transmit words to 1 the subscriber, giving him'th'desired notice.

, In this arrangement, instead of having springs arranged at the top of the piece eiextending- 0, shown in Figs. 1, 10 and 11, on the right hand which curs when the arrangemept is as shown inFig. 6, is one way of sending the sigthe surro nding apparatuses B being the "same. Iarrnnge a shaft E in the center of each of these apparatuses,-so that it stands properly supported in a vertical position in,

the center of thesurrounding rings. By referringto Fig. 8, it will be seen that the rings zstandaslight distance apart from each other.

The t'e'n riugs are made up of twenty parts, and'each ring has its two parts divided with a wider space between them than thatwhich separates the rings proper from each other.

The twoparts'of each ring are supported and station; The vertical-shaftE is adapted to be rotated by anyconvenient motor, and I need not describe in detail the meansforiinparting rotation to it. It is provided with ten arms e, rigidly connected with it, so as, to be carried around with its rotation. These arms are, of cohrse,'in different horizontal planes, corresponding to the 'dilfereut horizontal planes of the" spaces between the rings in which they rotate; and instead ofbeing 10-.

cated'on the shaft directly one above another, they are. arranged in a spiral around C" one following another though in diffeientrings, until affected by the current, as.

the shafh so that the ends are equidistant from" each other in plan view, though in a diflferent horizontal plane. Each ring composed of its two parts or sectio'nsis intended to support. and form a way or track for a carriage E. ;These' carriages are adapted to slide along, round andround the rings.

They each contain an electro magnet,.which 'need not be described in detail.

The armalure of each magnehwhen the'current is-oif, islreldby asspring in a position Where the enfd 's of the arms'e may engage with a piece of insulating material ef arranged on the armau;

and. rpun'd'the various rings of the apparatus heifeinatter described. The armature on the electrolmagnet carries an angle arm eflthat menus out'between thetwoparts or sections fojiniing a ring, andis provided at its end outsideof the rings with two springs e and e insulated from each other. Thespring e, in

its normal position, rests on the outside of the upper section of the -ring, asqshown in. Fig. 6. The spring 2 extends outxfar enough- .t0, come into contact-with and bear against *:'.,.each of the gates as the carriage is moved;

"round .and round the-ring. Another spring e isiattached to the end of .-the magnegand rests upon and bears against the lower; one; ofthe sections compos ng the{ring,-b..ut on? the inside instead of the outside, as does the v asshown in Fig. The rotation of the- 'ar m se will therefore carry the carriages round may fall into place.

[the spring a, .In. order to unlock! the lock-,1

spring a In Fig. 5 this spring is shown as bearing against the. lower section of the ring.

The surrounding-apparatuses B are all in tended to be providedwith rotating shafts, arms, rings, electro-magnets, armaturesv and springs, asin the case ofjtheonternings c, whichI have more particularly been descrim ing, and I need not repeat the description as; to them. In the central apparatusyA however, the arrangementof the central mechan ism is slightly different, as will explain. This mechanism isparticnlarl y shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. In the case of ,the central ap paratus, there is a central, verticahrotatable shaft E, provided with arms e,which are carried round with it. Carriages witlpelectro magnets are also em ployed, and are arranged to be carried round by the. rotation of .the I arms, as before described. The springs a and e are not, however, insulatedgfroin each other. It is to be understood, howeverythat. the spring e does not-make connectionwith the gates a. while the carriage is movingpas't; such gates in the apparatus A as it-makesconnection with the gates inthe apparatuses B and C. In addition to the magnet that-- forms a partof the carriage E1 another magnet E is employed in connection with-each gate arranged around the central apparatus, and movable contact springs G andg arealso provided for each gate to make, and'xbreak circuit as hereinafter described. i

When the current causedbypressing-the.

button D is on, the armature of. the magnet shown.in Fig. 10 is lifted, and the flspri'nge' moved awaytrom contact with thesurfaceof the ring, The spring e then bears against the gate a! and makesa contact with it for the cur rent. As the armatnres and springs-are thus movedflhegate a. is pushed .hackenough'to permit the lock Fto slippast the edge of the gate and clasp theispring'ebetween it'and 'the gate a, as shown in Fig.1 1-. While-this opera-' tion has taken place, the piece of insulating material on the spring e lifts the spring G from its contact piece 9, so as to break-theeir I cuit between them. The magnetEaidsi n moving the gate toward. it, andwassists the spring e in moving it back, so that the lock Thelock is mounted on a lever F" that is fulcrumed. on therodf, as

shown in'Fig. 8. the 'lock forward intp .its locking position, a

spring'f bears against the .lever of'the lock;

and forces it forward, as soon as the game is To positively push or move" movedv back enoughto permitit'toi'all.into

place. -To hol the' gate down. in itssnormal position, so that it can be struck-by thespring A e as it passes round the track-and whe'n it is operated. on by the current from the button D, the gate a is mountedbn a rod 0 by means of an arm orlever a", whichvis helddownby mount a yvheel H on as-slraftnthathimay he moved or rotatedmin. any:,iconvenienttiway.

1 mg fovided with alternate 'mamiiie mi in emarytq be produced in making the scunfils 392 P ay degiredword which may ba'used. For insi aneegf it be desireci ta transmit the word 5f1gagad ie the subscriber, ihsindenmtiams mil lag such as to produce the s'ounda forming i l'hlfi wfliia. In likemanner, thwords time q xpfior vxllll l bgws or letters, or other word ig-- mp1s may be provid eifori and transmitiad.

zpittir 1g tlmsq sounds cnnsigts of a spring k parrymg a point is, which, in its normal'con- 3% follows the indentations over which it passeS. .-v-Immdiate1y abo ve the upper contact point on the upper: surface of the spring is we 4 ranged-qcaibon piece k attached to a spring -39; kfl held m-pz oper adjustment by meausof the l l p'ugh th wire, zimi through the springs and; wnmct points into ting-ring, whence it misses 1- to the ground; I .wish to say, howsver, that with' sums particularity, I n'ot mean to be .foonfiqedjgo thedetsils of its; canstructioa, and nthgg means can be used if desired to tmnamifi; the mechanieai; sleetrical telaphonie gonads (pl the signal words; I i In illustraping the agemtion sf my zeisgrgphio'and' 'teiephmi switch anvil" aignaling system, I will descril'w'the operagziqng iiflfifi 93m glgqe as-Q subsm'ibe'r cails' up BlfldfififijliEI-S cam: eq'ti'on' witfignothm in a system 0f mom mm n' hmigiieti anbmrib rlrs ,We will sugpo'sua thut'al-m bscribiaz at,,() -G -1- I 33% is call up a lsubsexiber a; 5--+9.

I g glgrsiom, 0i mafia; aim; web mibscsiam i b pgayidfill with 'ihe usual ialeplwne iemaiv-ar and'ignali'ng apparsiwso The subset? ear a ad l istens ta ih'aigmi as may ate m-- nishefi h m over the eireuitu The first tiling 145" that; hewili Marin {his particular arrangemerit of circuits will be'the signalofhig ma n f number, aused by zine passage of the spring fidr'ms .cou neai'ion ibatwaen the signaling-seas? g-q I tionmf the ring which, as abeve stated, may .izon'iQt f almma'ia seaiions of mamllie and. ,of insulated smfaeesmr iii any iudemvafi sawand telepimmic; davia. This'sigaai 0f -l1i8 (1WD; number 33 'carrieil minim svery time 9 1. 0 )i e w ifigewiimagiww 7 1mm tbs "gfe 0f i116 figipim atli 0 t6 which his wire is gcanhg'fied sls they ai e eap'ried' arounfi ihe I ringigfbyfthje irdiatibn of the shaft E and the I .mvenint of-tlaaarms 2.; When'hehearsths' 5,; gignaiipiihispwntelephone 0v-0 -1-,' impresses flijbqttbn' D intq piace,-whiei1 brings the bat;

g-mhg'net andmz ihraughlthering'toim earih;

ibmzmsa ilxeyare 21g icngsr pash'a i f0! diliom'beats upon the surface of the ring iufi azzrew shown. vIn this vase the cii'euit'passe s .3-

. while Lhaye described tbi taleghbxiie rleviea jpamt'as U; 4 Illfistrsiimi in. 3 1

will hta-ill 3-, mm of the; rings; if the appam apiring; e ze znsgvgfi; fmm contact with 315. ring,

.As saunas ilieammawrei has "ii-sen iii-333m, up

H until the gate is again rmdckd... Thig ef lama apermaneazi; cannectiou betwean ihe.

a v wire O -0-1 from the subseribgfis stagiie-n and Th6 telephonmdevice that is 115911 in trans-.

the ring 6 for apremerminedJiimm The cireuit wire, eonnaeieai wi? vthe ring; with 89 whieh thasubscriber Ems thus seminal mm mention leads to one of thegates m Ongoiihe apparatuses B. -Wiai1e' the signaling and mak' ing of the circuit to this point has been going on, the ailuit batween the gate in thg ,apparatus B an the carriaga and magnets in such appav'atus,has been opened.

I should say here that tingcaazxriagaes in the apparatusas A, 133225. (I; are s0 timacl in their mavamauis that'as 03$ magnet has beenpass- 90 ing; a gmeg ihs; magnet in the next apparatus has beanpaasing fifipfififi betweam the gates. New, as the @fiilfi'fiilii amass into one the gate s of tkeappmams Bflne subscriber mama mg em as wash carriaga mid mag-B 2 5; on 122% @iifex "em; ringsxaf the @pp'amtus pass his gate Tim igu-nl ti'zai we aarrim m him from the m)- pammafi in thig ease m5 conatantiy il v fi l 6 45 &@.,;i i%d.s O- rO -l, Q -6&2, 65%,; as SE56? WWtWh%i he; wmmeneecl. W lien: o0 'iie beam tibia iiig'fiiii, 31% again presses the buttlm 3.) mm mm is iise'samezapamtion- @fiecwci as axplain azi mm miawncex his we iififfifiifi is 'f iarlsneiilaihji ifimngix we wire marked 0 ecnnected I: ring; w am; a? the ga t esamhe ap- ;ggra z; A; Tm; eigmlag't are now transmiiiefi w himgas me Qfiiliifi g and: magmi: no @izmvm in 1. 6 wag amumiiharing saw necial with his gai a are ihOSGWhiQ ii emits 590ml tame mze siwiar gaQ-tewt hat tiaey are wa ing 4% #125386 "gate )3 m-edividezimm ten ivisicms, $12 gillaimfl, and as the same 1 I 5 signal izaimmssmifim. is? main m? ma v i-Eras 0E a fiivisiizn, 31 3 Mama iiis mgmi Q; mm}, than than. 3, than 4%, than fifezwhien timgs' if m gate ii; eagaga; Whsn he hears any signal 5, ha; again piiashesa the butter; D; Wham the 12s Ei e lmttmi this tim the draws the nrnmture, to itself, so that the lock may be pushed by its spring, f, into Fig. 11, the lower ring' a, to the left. hand spring c, the magnet E, armature e spring are shown at the left hand of Fig.1l. the current is passing through these parts, the magnet E, at the right. hand of Fig. 1], draws the gate,-a', toward itself, and-the magnet, E

position to lock and hold the circuit completed until time of unlocking and preventany interference with tho'clrcuit as thi is established on through the line 5 beyond the apparatus,!\, to the subscriber wanted. The magnet E", asshown in the left hand portion of Fig. 11, pulls the gate, back, allowing the lock to be moved in, so as to lock it and prevent conncction with any other carriage as it is ,being moved around the different rings in the apparatus A. The insulating surface f on the. lock l may be replaced by a surface containing indentations, as explained in reference to Fig. i), so that as any other carriage passes it, it may signal back the word engaged. The current passing through the ring causes the armature of the magnet at the right hand of Fig. 11 to be attracted, so as to move the spring a away from the ring, open the'spring switch G and g and push the gate a back, to permit the lock F to move into place and lock the gate. "This effects the connection between the gate at the left hand and the gate at the right hand of Fig. 11, or, in

other words,-a connection between two gates at opposite sides of the central apparatus A. This establishes a'circuit through the wire 5 to one of the rings in the opposite apparatus B, with which the wire leading from the last gate, brought in to circuit by the apparatus A, is connected. The subscriber now bears in succession the signals 5-1, 5-2, 5 -3 and 5-4. When' he hears the signal 54, he again pushes the button, and, as in the cases already described, the carriage and magnet are stopped in contact with one of the gates in the division marked 5-4. so as to bring such gate into the circuit. This establishes the circuit through the wire connection with such gate to the ring in the opposite apparatus C, with which the subscriber 5-4-9 is connected. The signals are now transmitted back to him through the numbers from 54--0 up to 5-49, and when he hears the number of the subscriber that he desires to bring into the circuit, in the case supposed 5---1'-9, he again pushes the but wire 5-4-9 is connected.

unlocking cannot take place.

ton. This causes the carriage and magnctto stop in contact with the gate to which the The circuit is now established clear through from O--0-l to 5-4-4), and locked for a predetermined time, beforethe expiration of which the I have thus traced the'subscriber at the station 0-0-'1 through its connection with the station at 5--4-9. It may-happen, however, that he desires to communicate with a subscriber in cone-vii signal announcing the wires in thewlivision 0,he presses his buttonand-makesconnection' with one of the gates 1/. to which one of the wires 0 is attached. 'lhis establishes a circuit back to the apparatus l and afterthis has been done, he listens to the si nals as they are announced,- until. he hears one of the wires in the division 0-0' announced.

He then prcsseshis button again and makes" connection with one of the gates I) to which one of the wires in the .divlslon 0-0 is at taehed. This establishes n. circuit back. to the apparatus U. llc again istens at the signals, as they announce the diiIerent wires connected to the diilf rentgatcsi'i the apparatus until he hears the wire' )-\.--5.' announced, lie then presses the button again, andmakes connection with the gate-to which such wire is attached. This establishes'a circuit to the wire leading to the station 0-02, with which. he desires to communicate. He can then ring his bell and-cause the bell at the station ()--O---2 to be rung, so that he may communicate'with the subscriber at such station. It will be understood of course, be: causealready explained that each division contains ten wires, so that after a subscriber has picked his way into thecentral station, he has nine wires, or such ot them as are not.

engaged, to pick his way backto any station of the ten in his division. The operation of returning to a subscriber in his own division is the same as advancing from thec'entral station to subscribers in theindivisions, except that he has but nine lines insuch case, besides-his own, on which to operate, while in advancing he has ten. p

Iuorder to enable the subscriber to pick his way through, as above described, from his own station to that of any other subscriber with whom he maydesire to communicate, the gates of each division are all numbered with the number of such division, and the rings immediately opposite such gates are provided with'insultations or corrugations necesary to signal such number to the subscriber. As the circuit. is established, for instance, to the central apparatus A, the sub: scriber hears the number-l signaled to him ten times as the carriage passes that division.

He next hearslthen 3, then 4, each repeated ten times as the carriage passes these divisions. He then hears the number 5, when he immediately pushes his button and establishes the circuit to the next point, as already described. In order, however, to prevent his own number from being signaled back to him, and toprevent him from locking his own apparatus to his own station, a strip of insula- 1 will or the subscriber for'connecting any two- Essen tion",-a,s shown 1n Fig. l2,1injfront oi-his oven v gate, takes the plate 'otthe corrugations orother devices upon the ring'in the cent-relay paratus to which his gn'te is electrically con nected. I

. What I- regardjas. new,- and'desire to secure by Letters Ietent, is-

1. A telegraphicortelephonic automatic central exchange system" comprising an apparatus containing circuit wires, meansat the of them togctheriat a central st-ation,\a locking apparatus for maintaining such connection.

ii'nlockiug of itself at a pro-determined time independently of. the subscriber or operator,

signaling apparatus for notifying the subscriber-oi-"operator of the approach of such unlocking, and means in. the control of the subscriber for continuing the locking iorsuceessive pro-determinedperiodstoi? t me, sub- 'stantially as described,

' 2. .A telegraphieor telephonic eutornatic' central exchange system comprising an hpparatus containing circuit wires, means at the will of the subscriber for connecting sny two of them together at a central stntion, a locking nected io the branch central stations by cir I lockingdor successive predetermined period's can line's,- means at a. central station for connecting. any two such stations together at the.

will'of thesubscriber, lockingapparatus under the control of the subscriber for maintaining such connections unlocking of itself at a predetermined time independently of the subscriber or operator, and means in the control of the subscriber for continuing the of tirne',-'sub'stantially as described."

' 4n A telegraphie or telephonic automatic central exchange systenicornprising a series" of switching and distributing apparatuses, circuit wires whose terminals are normally al= ,ternaiely open in relation to immediately.

surroii'nding. ,appa-ratuses rand alternately brought into position for connection, means -mea'ns inthei-control'of the subscriber for at a centralstctien for. locking such circuits under the-control of the subscriber, but usiocking of themselves at a pro-determined tilne independently'ot the subscriber, and

continuing the looking; for successive predetcr'niined perlod'sof t'ime, substantialiy-as described.

5.; A telegraphic-or telephonic automatic central exchange system comprising an apparatus containing circuit wires, means at the wil of the subscriberfor connecting any two' offrhem together at a central station,-a looking apparatus for maintaining such connection,- nnd mechanism comprising a rotatable wheel provided with. a projection set in rotation by'the'act ot-locking and in a. pro-determined time by means of the projection un locking and causing the breaking of the con}:

nectionsof the circuitivires, substantially as described;

1 6. A telegraphic or telephonic automatic central exchange system comprising an appsratus containing circuit wires, meansat the will of the subscriber 'fonconnecting any two of them together, a locking apparatus for maintaining such connect-ions unlocking I itself at a predetermined time independentiy of the subscriber or operator, a switch 'at the subscribers station, an electric battery, and a magnet arranged to hold the locking apparatus locked while passinga. period of nn'locking and u 'ntil a new period of locking has sirrived, substantially as described.

7 A telegraphic or telephonic automatic central exchange system comprising an apparatus provided with-circuit wires, means for connecting any two of them together, telephonic receivers, a spring connected with the eiectric circuit passing through a} spscealloi;= ted to a. su bscriber and moving over at surface corrugated to correspond with. thei'undulw tions of a spoken word, and a. telephonic trans;

' mitting, device operated by the same for throwinga signal t'o'a subscribers station when the spring is movingover-the space-3L lotted to such subscriber, snbstanuallyasdescribed.

8. In a telegraphic or telephonic switching or signaling system, an apparatus containing circuit wires, means for connecting any two or them together, a locking apparatus for maintaining such (zonnctiomamovable piece provided with adprojection for unlocking at a rare-determine time and .with an electrical connection coming into contaot'with asubscribers line. beforeth'e unlocking-an electric generator, a corrugated-surface correspondin'g'with the undulationsof a spoken-signal, a. sliding spring'connection-with such corrugated sni'face,"and'a telephonic transmittingv device for notifying a subscriber of the approachingunlockingand breaking of hiscircum-substantially as described.

9. Auautonuitic telegraph'c or-telephouic exchange system comprising subsoribers.circuitwires, means attire will of thesubscriber for connecting enytwo of them together a locking apparatus for maintsiningsuch consection, and a time limit apparstusfor un-. locking the locking' nechanlsm' at up eterxnined time independentlyfofi the subsoriberg or operator, substantially as JAMES .MCDONOUGt-i Witnesses: v THOMAS A. Bnu'mnu', SAMUEL E.'-Hiisnsu. 

